Tk30cr Joypurhat drainage project needs repairs within 2 years

A drainage system built at a cost of around Tk30 crore in Joypurhat town has required modifications, with a 30-metre section being demolished to reduce its height and openings cut into drain walls at several locations to allow road water to flow into the system.
The problems have raised concerns over the planning and design of the drainage system, which was constructed as part of a road development project.
The drains were built on both sides of the road from Railgate to Harail as part of a project to upgrade the road to four lanes. Construction of the drains was completed in June 2024 by Aminul Haque Traders, a contracting firm based in Naogaon, at a cost of around Tk30 crore.
According to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and local sources, the drains were around three to three and a half feet high at various points when they were built. Later, the road from Railgate to Harail was widened and raised under a separate project costing around Tk28 crore, which was completed in early 2025. The changes created differences in height between the road and the drains at several locations.
The problem was particularly acute in front of the Central Mosque and Mosque Market at Panchur Mor, where the elevated drain obstructed pedestrians, traders and worshippers.
Following an application from the Central Mosque Committee, the RHD began demolishing a roughly 30-metre section of the drain in front of the market to reduce its height.
A recent visit to the area found the work nearing completion. The rebuilt section is being kept around one foot above the previous level. The modification has required part of the drainage system to be demolished and reconstructed after the original work was completed. Local resident Shafiqul Islam said the needs of people using the mosque and the surrounding area should have been considered when the drain was designed and built. “Had this been taken into account, there would have been no need to demolish the drain and lower its height within such a short time,” he said.
Arman Hossain, a trader at Panchur Mor, said the high drain had made it difficult for customers to enter shops and for worshippers to access the mosque.
Lowering its height would make movement easier, he said, adding that better alignment with the road would further improve pedestrian access.
Another problem has emerged at several points across the town, where road water cannot flow properly into the drains. In some places, sections of the drain walls have been cut open to create openings for water to enter.
Locals said the openings were made because the drainage system did not adequately accommodate runoff from the roads.
Ismail Hossain, general secretary of the Joypurhat district branch of Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA), said local residents and the RHD had cut openings into drain walls at different locations to facilitate water drainage.
He said the issue of draining road water should have been properly addressed during the design and construction of the system.
Asked about the reduction in the drain's height, Joypurhat RHD Executive Engineer Rajas Khan said the work was being carried out by the department in response to an application from the Central Mosque Committee.
He maintained that the drains had been constructed in accordance with the approved design.
District Administrator Al-Mamun Mia, who is also president of the Central Mosque Committee, said the drain was relatively high in front of the mosque and market, causing inconvenience to worshippers, pedestrians and traders.
After discussions with the RHD, the committee took the initiative to have the height reduced. He expressed hope that the work would make access easier for worshippers and other local residents.